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R35
The Renault R35 (short Char léger Modèle 1935 R) was a French light tank developed during the Interwar period. History 'Development' Designed from 1933 and produced from 1936, the Char léger Modèle 1935 R was intended as a light infantry support tank, equipping autonomous tank battalions, that would be allocated to individual infantry divisions to assist them in executing offensive operations. To this end it was relatively well-armoured but slow and lacking a good antitank-capacity, fitted with a short 37 mm gun. The hull, with a length of 4.02 m, consisted of three cast modules, with a maximum thickness of 43 millimetres, that were bolted together. Total weight was 10.6 metric tonnes (9.8 tonnes without fuel and ammunition). The bottom module carried on each side an independently sprung front wheel, two bogies and the driving sprocket at the extreme front. The final drive and differentials were housed at the right in the nose module. It was steered through a Cletrac differential with five gears and by engaging the brakes. The driver was seated somewhat to the left and had two hatches. The Renault V-4 85 hp engine was to the right in the short rear with the self sealing 166 litre fuel tank at its left. The cast APX hexagonal turret had a 30 mm thick domed rotatable cupola with vertical vision slits (the highest point of 2.13 m) and had to be either hand cranked or moved about by the weight of the commander, the only other crew member. There was sometimes unofficially a seat installed for him but he most often stood. The rear of the turret had a hatch that hinged down that could be used as a seat to improve observation. The earliest vehicles were fitted with the APX-R turret (with the L713 sight) mounting the short Puteaux 37 mm L/21 SA18 gun and the 7.5 mm Châtellerault fortress machine gun. The cannon had a very poor armour penetration: only 12 mm at 500 metres. Afterwards the APX turret with the same cannon but the improved L739 sight and the standard Châtellerault 7.5 mm MAC31 Reibel machine gun was used because of delivery delays of the original weapon. There were also so many delays in the production of the turrets that after the first 380 hulls had been produced in 1936 and only 37 could be fitted with a turret, production was slowed down to 200 annually. The R35 at first had no radio, except for the second battalion of the 507e Régiment de Chars de Combat (commanded by Col. Charles de Gaulle). Due to delays in the manufacture of the new suspension, an alternative was envisaged. APX-R1 turrets (with the new SA38 L/33 37mm) were mounted on R35 chassis giving birth to the Renault R39. However only a few were converted because shortly after started the production of the R40. As the original suspension (Renault based the suspension and running gear from the AMR 35 that was designed for the cavalry. It had five wheels at each side, fitted with horizontal leaf springs, like the AMC 35) was unreliable and ineffective even in 1937, it was replaced in the 1940 production run by an AMX system using twelve wheels fitted with six vertical springs. A ER 54 radio (this added to the already heavy task load of the commander, who also acted as gunner and loader), the more powerful SA38 L/33 37mm long barrel gun (giving it an effective anti-capacity: 40mm at 500m) casted in APX-R1 turret and the AMX tails to help in trench crossing were also installed. The new combination was named the Char léger modèle 1935 R modifié 1939 but is more commonly known as the Renault R40. 'Operational History' During the Battle of France in 1940, 810 were used as infantry support and 135 were folded into the 4th Division Cuirassée de Réserve (French for Armoured Division of Reserve). While the R35 was superior to Panzer I & Panzer II in term of firepower and shielding (the frontal armor could withstand a direct hit from a 37mm PaK 36), it was not perceived as an anti-tank threat by Panzerdivision as its shielding did not resist Panzer III's 50 mm gun and Panzer IV's 75mm gun. After the Fall of France 845 R35 falls into Germans hands that used some of them under the designation Panzerkampfwagen 35R-731(f), sold to German allies (such as Italy, Romania and Hungary) and some were kept by Vichy France to fight their former allies in Morocco and Syria. After the war, Syria bought some R35 that were used during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, Lebanon also used the R35 during the 1958 Lebanon crisis, some of them were rebuilt with British 40mm QF 2-pounder guns. There is no battle records of the R39 and R40 due to the few numbers converted or manufactured. In Girls Und Panzer Anime The R35 is mentioned only briefly in the Anzio OVA. During the Ooarai briefing for the upcoming match against Anzio, on the whiteboard it's noted that in Anzio's previous match Maginot fielded three R35. Fierce Fight! It's the Maginot Battle! Two Renault R35 are seen coming back to Maginot garage when Eclair gathered all Sensha-dō students, they are seen during a training that proves the incompability of the R35 for mobile warfare due to its one man turret. Maginot fielded two R39 labelled Clubs Blanc & Clubs Bleu for the training match against Ooarai. Neither of them would score any hits in the match. Clubs Blanc was meant to stay in ambush and at Ooarai's biggest threat the StuG while the others entrenched themselves to focus the attention on them. Ooarai was deceived but the plan was a failure as Clubs Blanc missed its target. Clubs Bleu took a shot destined to the SOMUA S35 Spade Bleu by Hippo Team and Clubs Blanc got its tracks damaged by Duck Team and was shot at point blank range by Turtle Team. Ribbon Warrior BC Freedom High School fielded at least five R35 (three of the BC faction and two of the Freedom faction) during a Tankathlon match against an unidentified school, BC's R35 were left out of the fight while Freedom's one charge their opponent. BC Freedom fielded four R35 during the were fielded for the match against Centipede Team, one BC R35 was shot down by Shizuka who had camouflaged her Te-Ke as a R35. Two of Freedom AMR-35 ZT-2 shot down one of BC R35 mistook it for the disguised Te-Ke unleashing a fierce firefight between the two factions. It is unknown if another R35 was shot down during the friendly fire. Some are the seen later training under the supervision of Asparagus, Moule and Bordeaux for the new "Stratégie Mariage". BC Freedom fielded seven R35 during the team-up Tankathlon match with Centipede Team against Schwarzwald Kampfgruppe. During the match Moule's R35 and another one are under heavy fire from Panzer IIs, one get downed while Moule's one is saved by Asparagus. After Shizuka trapped the Panzer II column between a blaze and a panicked spectators, three R35 brought chaos among Schwarzwald's tanks by shooting, invading their line and ramming them. During the firefight the R35s decommissioned three Panzers before being destroyed (including Moule's one by Koume). The remaining three R35s stood with Shizuka and some decoys to hold up Erika's platoon while Bordeaux's M22s take out Koume's one. During the firefight, a R35 shot down one of the Panzer II before the last R35 were destroyed. During the Cauldron tournament in the sixth match of the first round against Katyusha's Polite Girls, the Fifth Republic Platoon (BC Freedom's Tankathlon team) fielded three R35. The match wasn't seen but they were likely annihilated by Katyusha, Nonna and Klara's T-60. They will be part of Polite Girls' team for the rest of the tournament. During the Cauldron tournament in the ninth and penultimate match of the first round against Guy Fawkes Team, Kebab High School fielded three R35. During the match, despite fighting a single tank, all R35 were shot down by Darjeeling without letting them firing a single shot, much to Bosphorus' astonishment. They will be part of Guy Fawkes Team for the rest of the tournament. During the Cauldron tournament second round Pink Team fielded three R35 (one commanded by Bosphorus). They participate to Yellow Team bombardment at sunset, it is unknown if they scored any hit. During the Team Oni assault two of Kebab's R35 were destroyed by the Type 94 tankettes, they were brought back on working condition near the end of the match as they were seen still operational when the round ends. On their side Yellow Team fielded at least two R35 (one commanded by Moule). During the attack from Pink Team at sunset they might have reply to their opponents. During the Team Oni assault Moule's R35 was destroyed by the double-gunned tankette, it is unknown if it was bring back to combat afterwards. Centipede Alliance fielded one R35 from Kebab High School commanded by Bosphorus during a challenge Sensha-do match against Bonple High School for the rights to fight Miho in a official match. Gekkan Senshado Magazine Maginot Girls' Academy fielded three R35 during the tournament first round match against Anzio Girls High School. Their role during the battle is unknown but they likely take part in the pursuit of Pepperoni's CV.33s. Bonple High School owns a single non-operational R35. 'Das Finale' Maginot Girls' Academy fielded at least one R35 during the Winter Continuous Track Cup first round match against Kuromorimine Girls Academy. It is unlikely that it scored any hit and was destroyed by Kuromorimine overwhelming firepower. Gallery Category:Tanks Category:Multi-Version Tanks Category:French Tanks Category:Light Tanks Category:BC Freedom Girls' High School Category:Maginot Girls' High School Academy Category:Bonple Girls' High School